The world we couldn't have
by Alex Wilder
Summary: A what if story that portrays Naruto and the father he never knew. an altering of history, that I may revisit if I can create a more intriguing story line. Let me know if you think this has potential.
1. Chapter 1

"Naruto!"

Great, mom's yelling. I'm in trouble.

"Naruto Uzumaki, get downstairs this instant!"

I roll out of bed, working up my best "I'm sorry" speech and try my best to look innocent.

"Yes Mom", I say as I walk down the stairs. My mom is sitting at the table, across from Master Iruka. Uh-Oh.

"Naruto", my mom says, her face clearly conveying anger, "Master Iruka tells me you've been disruptive in class, is this true?"

No use lying, I'm stone cold busted.

"I only told a few jokes", I mumble.

This only makes her angrier and I'm fairly sure she's getting ready to blow her stack when Master Iruka comes to my rescue.

"Naruto is by no means a bad student", Master Iruka says, "he's one of the best in his year actually, his only real completion is Sasuke Uchiha. But I am concerned that he tends to joke around in class" he finishes, staring directly at me.

My mother seems both proud and angry and is all set to yell at me as my father walks in.

"Hello Iruka", my dad cheerfully says.

At this Iruka stands up and bows saying, "It is good to see you fourth Hokage-sama".

My dad reddens slightly, he never really got used to everybody bowing.

"Your son", my mother says, "Is goofing off in school". As she directs the words to my father, she's still giving me the evil eye.

"Naruto", my father says sternly, "you and I need a talk.

We walk outside and my father assures Iruka that I will be dealt with. As we walk people from the village wave to my father, we pass two Jonin, Obito Uchiha and "White Fang" Kakashi, two of my father's former students.

"Hello, 4th", says Kakashi

Obito elbows him in the ribs whispering, "Just because he was our old teacher doesn't mean you shouldn't show respect"

At that my father chuckles saying, "Those two will never stop fighting".

As we walk further out of the village my father turns his attention to me.

"Naruto, you know how your pranks anger your mother".

I look down and mumble, "I know"

He looks at me and smiles

"Your mother and I are both very proud of you, you know", he says with conviction, " but you must respect your teachers"

I promise to do so and I mean it, I can't let my father down. I will become a great ninja, just like my father and no one will ever defeat the son of the 4th!

"I was thinking", my father says, "that it was time I taught you teleportation jutsu"

"Really?!" I say

"Of course", he smiles. At that moment I am perfectly happy.

Then I wake up. I am alone in a house by myself. I am an orphan and both of my parents died a long, long time ago. The demon fox laughs inside my soul, his voice cruelly mocking my loneliness.

"Your father is dead Naruto", he laughs, "But you are not alone, for I am always with you"

Then he laughs and laughs in his prison, while my heart breaks for the life I can never have.


	2. Chapter 2

I awaken to an over cast day. The rain will be falling shortly. I prepare for a day of patrolling the village; missions have been coming slower lately. As I bush my teeth I look at myself in the mirror, but I do not see the face of Naruto Uzumaki. The figure in the mirror looking back at me as the eyes of a fox as if the demon fox had been stuffed inside a human doll, but did not truly fit.

"Do you wish for that other life child", the fox thing whispers. "I can give it to you, you only have to break the seal."

Perhaps I have only imagined the words. As I fully take in their meaning I force myself to continue brushing and ignore the fox's taunting.

The rain begins falling as I leave granny Tsunade's office. It seems that I was not lucky enough to get patrol duty, instead I have been assigned trash pickup I follow bits of litter my mind wanders to the dram I had last night. I can see my mother as she would be today… and my father….

"I can give you that life", the fox says.

For a moment I am startled by the voice, but I quickly become bitter.

"That world was a lie", I say, "You only want to trick me into freeing you."

"It is true that I want my freedom, but what I tell you is true," the fox says, "That world I showed you is only this one if I had never entered it."

The rain still falls.

"But… how can you make that world?" I ask, "It's not as if you can change the past."

"Naruto… what are the tailed demons", the fox says.

I stand there for a moment trying to describe them, until the fox sees fit to simply tell me.

"The tailed demons are nothing more than great concentrations of Chakra, who reside in the spirit realm," The fox begins, "I was not born of this world, and when I was summoned into it, reality warped around my vast energy. All of the greatest ninja conflicts have had the Tailed beasts at the center of them, if it were not for us the greatest ninja wars would never have occurred."

"But how," I yell, "does that give me back my father?"

"Naruto, if you return me to my proper realm by reverse summoning me, the world as you know it will return to its original state."

"How do I even reverse summon you to a place I don't even know exists? And why should I trust you?"

"Listen here boy. I have been here many centuries, I am tired of the way your kind subjugates me, I thought to rule this land, but now I simply wish to be returned to my home, will you do it or not?"

My mind tries to grasp the concepts that the fox has introduced, my mother and father… alive again.

"I'll do it, but how do I reverse summon you?"

"That… I do not truly know"

"Then why did you bring it up", I yell. A lady walking in front of her home stares at me. I look at her and say pathetically "Hormones, what can you do"

The fox begins speaking again, "Naruto, the Uchiha's knew the most about my existence, and I believe there is a scroll in one of their temples, which will tell you how to banish me."

"Where?" I ask.

"I will guide you, but I must know if you consent to my terms," the fox says.

The rain continues falling, and I am on my way to the Uchiha's temple.


	3. Chapter 3

No temple, that's what I find as I enter the old section of the village. The place is a hollowed out shell, a verified ghost town. No one wants live in the town where a whole race was slaughtered. That knowledge makes me feel cold, I shiver. It's just too damn quiet out here. The rain stopped hours ago, now I'm alone with my thoughts.

"Hey fox", I say out loud, "where's this temple?"

No response. Figures.

I prepare to head back, but something won't let me.

"Never give up" , slowly leaves my lips. My nindo means failure is not an option.

"Kage no bunshin!"

I stare at the 8 clones I have created and they stare back at me.

"Okay, you know what we're look for, let's split up"

"Alright", I say 9 times.

**Tale of the 1rst Naruto**

I search in buildings and houses near the market district. I looks for clues or scrolls. I find old half written letters, long dried blood on walls, shopping lists… the remnants of a people who had every intention of living, but didn't.

**Tale of the 2****nd**** Naruto**

I look on the outskirts of the village to the east, I find farming land that is still used today. In a way the uchiha live on…

**Tale of the 3****rd**** Naruto**

I scavenge the outskirt to the west. I find graves and a single offering on the shrine of sasuke's parents.

**Tale of the 4th Naruto**

I find nothing, but keep looking

**Tale of the 5th Naruto**

I look high going to the trees and on buildings. I see crows...

**Tale of the 6th Naruto**

I find a library of scrolls. I find history of the uchiha, but none are secrets of the fox. I keep reading.

**Tale of the 7th Naruto**

I look in the town square. Someone finds me, and I am gone

**Tale of the 8th Naruto**

I find a temple on the outskirts to the north. There is an underground passage, I enter it...

**Tail of the 9th Naruto**

I find Itachi Uchiha, the murderer of the Uchiha clan, and he's found me. I release my clones and prepare to fight.


	4. Chapter 4

"What are you doing here Naruto Uzumaki?"

"I'm not going to answer a murder" I say

I stare at the assassin of the Uchiha clan, and I wonder how a man can cause such destruction. I rush at him, with kunai in hand, while keeping my eyes squarely aimed at his feet in order to avoid being caught in genjustu.

"Your judgments cannot hurt me Naruto, I know who I am"

I strike him with my blade but the body disappears; substitution jutsu. I hesitate for just a moment too long and throwing stars pierce my back. I can hear Itachi slowly walking toward me as a fall to my knees in pain.

"Tell me why you are here" says itachi.

His words remind me of my mission, I must banish the fox, if I can do that I can see my father again… I push myself to my feet, pain gone from my body.

"Kage no bunshin", I say.

I have created 3 clones, the first hangs back with me as I form a rasengan, the second rushes at uchiha the third runs in the opposite direction.

"Go quickly", I say "you must find the scroll!"

Itachi takes the bait and quickly dispatches the clone rushing towards him, he then chases after the clone that is running away from him completely ignoring me. He easily outruns the third clone, but just short of catching him the clone stops completely, smiling as he does it. Itachi suspicious of this still manages to grab the clone.

"Why did you stop", he says.

"Boom" says the clone.

The letter bomb in this clones hand goes off, stunning Itachi in pain just long enough for my Rasengan to finish forming. I release the first clone, and attack Itachi Uchiha. The rasengan hits and this time I have him, Itachi is thrown off his feet and crumples to the ground. Something is wrong though, he gets up as if nothing has happened to him.

"are you surprised Naruto?" he says, "It's very simple, you are already under the influence of my eyes"

I look directly at him this time, almost unbelieving of his words, and then his eyes release the sharingan as Itachi says, "I lied"

His genjutsu catches me now I am frozen. I try to remember Jirayia sensei's instructions for breaking free of genjutsu. Itachis voice booms throwing off my concentration.

"Would you like to know how I survived your attack?"

I try again to concentrate on disrupting my chakra flow, but my mind keeps faltering, and Itachi's voice is deafening.

"I simply created a layer of air between your attack and my stomach by using chakra manipulation" Itachi's voice booms.

I'm becoming frustrated now, and I can tell that in the real world Itachi is moving ever closer. Then another voice comes to me, a voice inside myself.

"I can free you boy", says the fox, "let me lend you my power"

Itachi is getting closer, I can feel it.

"Yes", I whisper, "give me your power"


	5. Chapter 5

The fox breaks free from his bonds and the first tail sprouts. I throw off Itachi's genjutsu and crouch ready to attack. He hesitates for just a moment and then begins to form signs with his hands. I fling myself at him before he can finish and tackle him to the ground. The foxes rage is burning me from the inside out. I want to crush the Uchihas head in my hands and hear him scream…

"These aren't my thoughts. Where is all this hate coming from?"

Itachi takes advantage of my mental lapse to release his mangekyou and wrestle control of the fox. But there is something wrong… the fox will not go back inside its prison. In fact Itachi's eyes have only made the fox more agitated, angrier. He fights back against Itachis eyes, now the tails come out rapidly. 2 tails, 3, 4, 5… I am losing myself to hate. I can feel myself slipping away.

"Naruto, you have to fight it", Itachi screams.

But the power is too much for me, and now with the fox's power I begin to crush Itachi

"I am not going anywhere little Uchiha", says the fox. "Your power is no match for me"

Itachi's eyes begin to bleed, as if he is crying blood and then…

* * *

I wake up, all signs of the battle gone. I am at home in the leaf village.

"What happened", I begin to say.

"Naruto" a voice calls out.

"I'm in my room" I think, "the room from my dream".

"Naruto, Kakashi sent word that you're late for a mission briefing".

It is my mother's voice. Somehow Itachi did it. Somehow he banished the 9 tailed fox. I get myself out of the bed and prepare for a world I do not know.

* * *

"Ahh, there you are Naruto. We were beginning to think you would never show" says Kakashi sensei.

I notice Kakashi is not wearing his headband over his eye, and what's more he has no Sharingan. On the way to the rendezvous point just outside the village I have seen many Uchiha people. Without the influence of the fox, the Uchihas thrive in the village and many who were dead are made whole again. There were never any ninja wars because without the tailed beasts there was nothing to fight over. This world is perfect…

"Earth to Naruto" says the Jonin ninja next to Kakashi. "We've got a mission to get to remember"

I blush while I remember this ninja, the one from my dream. His name is Obito.

"This is an A rank mission gathering intelligence in the land of clouds. We believe that the people there are planning on starting a war with its neighboring nation; us."

Obito then begins to speak, "We aim to crush the threat of war before it starts by targeting a meeting of their military leaders. My students; Rock Lee, Shikamaru and Hinata will be joining us on this mission along with Kakashi's team 7.

At this Shikamaru stood up and pointed at me in a very passionate and un-Shikamaru like way saying "There's no way I'll let you show me up on this mission Naruto Uzumaki".

"Huh", I say, "You're my… rival?"

This of course was the wrong thing to say.

Shikamaru became visibly frustrated shouting "you will have no choice but to acknowledge me when I finally defeat you!"

I noticed that the Shikamaru of this world was not a jonin yet, and his clothes had violent streaks of red. His hair had been buzz cut and it was very difficult to tell that this zealous hot head could possibly be Shikamaru.

I then turned to Rock Lee whose hair was knotted up like a samurai. His attention was on Sasuke who I assumed was his rival.

Hinata suddenly startled my by coming from behind me. While giving me a hearty slap on the butt she said "Hey handsome, how about after the mission you and I go for some ramen?"

I began to blush which caused Sakura to giggle"

"Enough flirting you 2" said Kakashi, "the mission site is two days travel, so we should get started"

"Let's move out" said Obito.

* * *

Leaves rustle as we crash through the trees. Our journey to the land of clouds has now forced us to seek cover up above as we get closer to our mission site. The land of clouds is surrounded by scouting outposts designed specifically to stop the exact thing our team is attempting to do.

"Okay everyone, we're coming up on the last outpost, change to formation alpha", Kakashi sensei instructs.

I welcome the change of pace the ensuing fight will bring. We've been traveling nonstop for 5 hours, and for the last 2 hours I'm pretty sure Hinata has been sneaking grabs at my butt. Coming up below us is a ground patrol unit and Shikamaru springs into action. He instantly releases his shadow possession jutsu, wrapping our unsuspecting enemies in darkness. As the shadows recede all of the scouting party is left on the ground unconscious. Shikamaru success prompts him to make a jibe at me as he says "try doing that with shadow clone jutsu".

"Whatever", I reply.

""quiet you 2", Obito sensei says, "we're approaching the target.

At this point we all drop down to the forest floor and begin the second stage or our mission. All of us will be changing into civilian garb in order to infiltrate the village. Then we are all to split back into two teams. Our teams' job is to scout the military defenses of the city while Obito's team rendezvous with the spy already in the village.

"Naruto, what are you wearing?" Sasuke says to me, "Those shorts make you look like a dork"

"What do you…" I begin to reply angrily, but Sasuke isn't saying it to be mean. It's clear from the smile on his face that he's just joking around. His smile surprises me, this world is so different.

Before the teams split Kakashi gives us all one last instruction,

"Before we enter the village, I want to remind everyone that this is a covert mission. Try to be discreet"

Kakashi ends his speech by looking directly at me, some things never change.

On this lighthearted note we all split to take care of our respective missions, not knowing the horror that was in store for us inside that village.


	6. Chapter 6

"So what has the spy said already"

as I only just entered this world I struggle to grasp the exact nature of our mission here in this village. Now that our teams have broken up I feel that it is time I get some more in-depth answers.

"You never listen do you" Sakura tells me with a barely veiled sense of disdain. "I'll tell him Kakashi"

"The spy has told us that the village leaders here have led an initiative to reinforce the cities defenses. They have put forth more funding into the cities military and begun stockpiling their armory. It is thought that they are preparing for war with their neighboring city states, our allies incidentally."

"It might be wise to cut the chatter" said Sasuke, "seeing as we are locals after all".

His warning doesn't come a moment too soon as we come up to the the armory and the guards protecting it. As we approach the building Kakashi signals Sasuke and I to break off and enter through the back while he and Sakura keep the guards occupied "time to go to work" , he says.

* * *

"Hello there officer! My daughter and I were wondering if you could help us. You see it seems we've lost our dog. You wouldn't have happened to see a stray anywhere have you?"

"he's a small brown haired dog (sob), oh father what could have happened to him?"

"I'm sorry citizen, I haven't seen any do..."

"Call me Daisuke "

"Please sir, could you and (sob) and your partner help us look for him"

"uh, sure"

"oh thank your sir! Daisuke never forgets a good turn my friend. You've got a heart of gold"

* * *

Sasuke and I enter through the back of the armory, for now it seems empty of military personnel and full of swords armor, and some impressive artillery. Few nations have developed guns for they are often useless against ninja who have perfected even the basic form of chakra shields. These types of weapons are only effective against those who don't use ninjutsu.

"We need some type of inventory manifest, do you see any type of back office or some filing area" Sasuke asks.

"I know a way we can find one real quick" I say.

**5 minutes later...**

Two shadow clones come back with several files. I release the clones and the several others still rummaging around the armory. Sasuke and I give them a quick once over to make sure we've got something real and then leave _faster than a_ knife fight in a phone booth.

As we exit the back we see Sakura running towards us. She looks frantic, and it is clear that something has gone wrong. As she gets closer we can hear her. She's screaming, its the abort signal. We follow her lead and begin running for the gates. We enter the forest but Sakura urges us on, shouting "alpha", the code for the first rendezvous point. We run on leaving the village behind us.

"What happened Sakura? Where's Kakashi?"

I look over to her as we continue or journey through the trees, and I see a single tear escape her eyes. "They knew we were leaf village, I don't know how but they knew."

My stomach clenches, fearing the worst.

Sasuke senses the tension and tries to break it, "They'll want information I expect, they may try and torture Kakashi, but he's tough. He's been through much worse."

At this Sakura stops dead in her tracks. We stop with her and she breaks down, crying like the day she was born. "They won't torture him" she says, "they killed him".


End file.
